Author's Note: This feels like forever since I have been writing and posting this story. Anyway, after a long week of mock exams and stuff, I am finally back. I won't be able to say how long it will take before any more chapters are posted, but know that I have planned most of them out now; so it really is just a matter of writing them. Also, I recommend listening to Aurora's Theme from Child of Light and Nothing Left to Lose by Ethos Music.

Reviews: I have decided that I will now be responding to all reviews through the Private Messaging system. However, if you are a Guest reviewer, then I will reply to your reviews on the actual chapter instead because I can't speak to you in any other way. This is mainly in case it takes forever for me to update, and so we can have a proper conversation if there needs to be one; or one just happens. I will still thank my favourites and follows on here, although!

Favourites & Follows: Thank-you very much to "SakuraDreamerz", "diabolical . me" (sorry, FanFiction won't let me post your name if I don't put a space in it!), "Dark the shark", "spitfire33", and "Zexs" for favouriting this story as well as "SakuraDreamerz" again, "diabolical . me" again, "Dark the shark" again, and "spitfire33" for following this story. I love you all so damn much!

"Always focus on how far you've come, not how far you have to go."

~Anonymous~

Ancient Roots

A Skyward Sword FanFiction

Chapter 43: Confluence

The dawn of the next day is what draws me back to consciousness, drawing its gentle fingers across the sky and brushing the shadows beneath the horizon. I lie on the ground, hair splayed around my head as the cool morning breeze ruffles it. Clouds drift lazily across the brightening sky, and in the distance, I can hear Loftwings waking up and calling to one another.

It truly is a beautiful sight.

I can feel Link on the edges of my awareness, and as I sit up and assure him that I'm alright, Fi glides into my field of vision. "Dominae, I must congratulate you. You have passed all of the Trials from the Goddesses."

Following her gaze, I glance down to the blue bud that I was given in the Trial, lips parting as I bring my hand up to inspect it as it blooms before my very eyes. Inside is a hexagonal amber stone with the Skyloftian Crest carved into it, and I can't help but feel as if I recognise it—though I'm not sure where from.

"What you hold is known as the Stone of Trials, Mistress," Fi explains. "This engraved object is proof of completing all of the Trials laid out before you and was created to lead the Goddess Reborn to the location of the Triforce. This Stone is also one of a pair and combining these two has a high chance of opening the way to the Triforce."

I lower my head and fall into deep thought, my hair falling around my face as I try my best to process everything.

I'm closer than any mortal has ever been to the Triforce in centuries, and to think of how far I've come is incredible. Before the Wing Ceremony, my life had been set out before me—to complete my studies and help my Father with the Knight Academy, perhaps even become a scholar.

But after the Wing Ceremony, my life was turned upside down. What began out as a journey for Zelda to save her best friend became a Goddess returning to the mortal realm to save the land she blessed from the darkness which was threatening to consume it again—ending the Great War that used to only be legend in Skyloft.

In the Trial, I saw what would happen if I didn't end this. I grieved for Link, for everyone that I failed, but Hylia and the little girl made me understand how far I've come and how strong I truly am. Now I have the chance to stop this before what I saw in the Trial becomes a reality, and I won't fail.

And here I am, ready to end this battle once and for all by finding the Triforce with proof of my worthiness in my hands.

'I'm so close…'

'And then we can finally see each other in peace time.'

'And then you can come home and we can restore Skyloft back to its old self,' I reply with a smile and glance back down to the Stone of Trials in my hand, I think about where I've seen it before. He says nothing, but I can feel his growing excitement and anticipation for this to all be over.

The sunlight catches the Stone of Trials, and something within me stirs again at the sight of it—I've seen it somewhere before, maybe the other gem like Fi mentioned, but I can't pick out where.

But then I gasp as the memory slams into me.

A nine-year-old Zelda studied the statue of a Loftwing above her, tilting her head as she pondered why the statue only had one orange eye. She ran her fingers across the statue's feather, intrigued by the mystery. The Headmaster knew nothing about the statue's other eye, and neither did any of the texts in his Office, so Zelda was determined to figure it out for herself.

Glancing back, she frowned at her "research partner" asleep against a nearby tree. "Honestly…"

She could never understand why Link, who was ten at the time, could sleep anywhere. His family were light sleepers, but he slept as if he was dead half of the time. But it didn't matter, because it allowed her to wake him up in fun ways.

Skipping towards her friend, she plopped down onto his stomach, grinning as he groaned and tried to bat her away. "Wake up, Link! I need your help!" She smirked, then, "And you're drooling again…"

He cracked open his eyes. "I told you I don't do that…"

"I know, but it got you up," she teased, jumping off of him and grabbing his hands, starting to pull him up. "Geez, you're heavy!"

"You just need to get stronger," he replied casually, letting her drag him towards the statue. "What do you need help with?"

She pointed up to the statue's face. "Look, it only has one eye! Nobody knows why, not even Father or Pipit. We need to solve the mystery!"

Link chewed his lip in thought, then, "Maybe this Loftwing lost its eye in battle?"

"I'm being serious, Link."

"So am I," he said back. "Maybe it was the first Loftwing."

Zelda rolled her eyes at her friend's ideas, only to start thinking about who the first person to own a Loftwing.

I understand now—the Stone of Trials, the statue, the missing eye.

'Link, I solved the mystery!'

'What?'

I'm too excited to respond at first, bolting to my feet and rushing out from the courtyard, squeezing the gem in my hands as I go.

But then I skid into a stop when I sense something wrong all of a sudden.

'Zelda what's—?'

He cuts himself off when he feels it too.

Fi appears instantly. "I sense that the Demon King is attempting to break free from his Seal within the Sealed Ground once more." I can feel the colour draining from my face as she continues. "I also sense the presence of many enemies near the Sealed Grounds and surmise that many monsters are gathering to help the Demon King break free."

'It's his strongest attack yet,' Link mutters, already strained before the Seal has even broken. 'I'm—'

He can't even speak.

My breath gets caught up in my throat as I look at the spirit of the blade. "W-What do I do? I'm so close to the Triforce, but…"

"With the increased defences in the Sealed Grounds, I believe that your companions will be able to hold back The Imprisoned for only a short period of time," Fi hypotheses once I trail off. "However, I must advise that you focus on obtaining the Triforce first."

I lower my head, wishing that I didn't have to leave everyone down there to fend for themselves.

But I don't have a choice.

I'm the only one who can find the Triforce now, and there's nothing that can change that.

Taking a deep breath, I rush out of the courtyard with the Stone of Trials in my hand, praying for my companions.

~Interlude~

Impaz couldn't help but feel anxious when she rose at dawn.

Being a Sheikah, she could sense things that most mortals could not, and she was especially sensitive to the Seal just outside of the Sealed Temple. She prayed to the Goddesses that Hylia's Mission would be over soon so that she could be reunited with her loved one as she had planned with the Goddess. She wished that the other Sheikah hidden away in the mountains knew of the Goddess's Mission, then she would feel less alone.

She couldn't help but smile sombrely, knowing that the Sheikah would either return during the and era or peace or calamity.

The Sheikah Elder stepped into the back room of the Sealed Temple as she did every morning, the morning dew dripping from the vines that had begun to weave themselves around the amber crystal over time. As she knocked some of the dew away, she prayed that the newest Bearer would soon be free from his destiny—as she prayed every day.

She frowned at the various cracks in the glass caused by the Demon King's attempts to break his Seal, hoping that it did not have a prolonged effect on the newest Bearer.

Turning on her heel, the priestess slipped out of the back room and closed the doors behind her, careful that the sleeping Skyloftians did not awaken. They still knew nothing of the crystal in the back room, their own friend only a few feet away from them without them knowing, but she assured herself that it would do more harm than good if they knew—they had to focus on defending the Sealed Temple.

In the distance, the wildlife suddenly fled from the area.

Her ears pricked up as the ground began to shake, and she knew exactly what was wrong.

Her gut twisted—the strength of the Seal was waning.

"Everyone!" Impaz cried, instantly waking the three Skyloftians. "The time has come to test our defences—the Seal is threatening to shatter again!"

Without hesitation, Groose ran outside to prepare his machine whilst Karane and Pipit grabbed their supplies and weapons before rushing off after their companion. Without the Goddess Reborn present, they knew that they would just have to hold on until she arrived and pray for the best.

They may be fighting a potentially losing battle, but they could not give up—not after all they had been through.

~Zelda~

I stare up at the statue before me, its lonely eye shining in the morning sunlight as the mist begins to clear from the island. With the Master Sword in one hand and the Stone of Trials in the other, I'm rather surprised that the statue managed to survive the attack on Skyloft with only a few small chunks of stone missing.

'Zelda… can I ask Fi something?' Link asks, his voice strained. I hum and call out for the spirit of the blade, waiting for me to tell her what he says. 'My birthday… it's today, isn't it?'

His words hit me like a storm.

Stumbling over my words as I relay them to Fi, she responds, "He is correct, Dominae. Today is the newest Bearer's birthday."

I swallow thickly—she was supposed to remind me.

'Not today…'

"Why didn't you tell me, Fi? I asked you to."

"While it was against your command, I hypothesised that disclosing this information would lead to reckless behaviour in order for you to acquire the Triforce before the end of the day," she explains, and I can't help but let my shoulders slump forwards when I realise that she's right.

I nod and let it go, reaching up for the Timeshift Stone around my neck. 'I'm going to end this, Link. But you need to concentrate, and I can't let our connection distract you.'

He starts object, but he knows that he can't, so he finally says, 'You're right.'

'Please be safe…'

'I'll try,' he says truthfully, his presence fading away when I take the Timeshift Stone and place it in my bad.

I sigh deeply, thinking about today. It's Link's birthday, the day I was looking forward to all those weeks ago before the Wing Ceremony and has now become a day where everything could go perfectly or disastrously.

And I have no idea which.

"You are about to lose everything," the voice from the Trial of Wisdom calls out to me—haunting my thoughts.

He won't win. I won't let him.

Taking a deep breath, I slot the Stone of Trials into the bird statue and take a step back, waiting for something to happen. The Stone of Trials shines in the morning light, and for a moment everything is silent, nothing but the whistling wind blowing my hair around my shoulders.

Suddenly, the base of the statue glows in a heavenly white light, swirling around the statue. I watch in amazement as the light grows in intensity, creating a beacon of light that soon begins to set everything else in motion.

The green Column of Light glows more intensity than ever, and with it memories stir within me of battles I've fought and places I've seen. Then the red Column of Light follows suit, then the yellow Column of Light. All of them become connected by a line of light, creating a large triangle shape like in the journal that Fledge showed me.

Images blur through my mind as the lines flash once before all of the lights fall dim, and suddenly the Isle of the Goddess is submerged in light; so much so that I have to look away.

An explosion is what forces me to look back, and the chunk of earth beneath the Statue of the Goddess has been destroyed completely—dirt flying everywhere as everything falls still for a moment.

But it still isn't over.

With another explosive sound, something begins to grow out from the bottom of the Isle of the Goddess, a spiralling structure similar to the pit in the Sealed Grounds tearing free from the base of the chunk of earth. The structure is decorated with various carvings of Loftwings, the edges of each spiral adorned with a golden coloured stone. As the tremors slowly start to stop, I grasp onto the bird statue tightly.

I breathe hard, never taking my eyes off of the great structure that has sudden appeared before me. When I finally manage to snap my gaze away from it, I look straight into the Stone of Trials that I placed into the statue—surprised at the incredible effect that it's had.

"F-Fi...?"

She appears in a spark of light and I pry my shaking hands away from the statue. "My calculations indicate an eighty-five percent chance that the structure you have uncovered houses the Triforce," she clarifies. "Given this development, I project that the moment for you and the newest Bearer to fulfil your destinies and bringing an end to Demise is close at hand."

For a second, I forget how to breathe.

"Really?"

She nods. "Yes, Mistress Zelda. The Goddess's Mission is close to an end."

Fi says nothing else before returning to the Master Sword, and I think about how on earth I'm going to get inside—trying to ignore Fi's words so I don't panic.

I just wish I had Link here…

A tiny burst of light forces me to look over to my left all of a sudden, watching as many Knights begin to grab their swords and stare at the strange structure from all over the island. My eyes find another Wisp and I can't help but cautiously begin moving towards it, knowing that it was helpful before.

Glancing over to the strange structure every now and again, the Wisp takes me back to the courtyard beneath the Statue of the Goddess and deep into the Chamber of the Sword that I haven't been to since I placed the Amber Tablet into the pedestal. The Wisp lies in wait for me.

"Are you here to help me?" I can't help but ask.

It giggles, the sound echoing around the chamber. I watch in awe as the orb of light soars towards the pedestal that I took the Goddess Sword from so long ago, disappearing and leaving me alone again.

Then, after a long moment, the various stone slabs around the pedestal go down and slide away, revealing a thin set of steps going down into the depths beneath the Statue of the Goddess itself—something I never thought was possible.

But after all I've seen, this pales in comparison.

It's now or never, I encourage myself. Now everything becomes even more real…

Gazing down the dark staircase, I sheathe the Master Sword and take a torch hanging from one of the pillars and begin to make my way down the steps, my footsteps echoing around me as the thin stairway opens up into a much wider one, the torch's light clawing out into the open darkness.

It's deathly silent down here, and I can't barely see anything either. Other than the steps and the curving walls, my breathing picks up as I panic over how little I can actually see. The chill in the air travels over my skin, making the hairs on my neck stand on end.

And yet, I have the strangest feeling as if I've been here before.

The stone steps are decorated with marks of the Triforce, and this place seems as if no darkness could ever touch it unlike the Temples I visited throughout this entire journey. I take the time to drag my hand across the crisp walls surrounding me, the reflection of the torch causing the carvings of the Triforce to glow eerily as I walk.

The only sound that reaches my eyes is the crackling of the torch in my hand along with the tapping of my feet against the stone slabs. I hear my ragged breathing every now and again, making me jump or flinch from the harshness of it, and I try my best to comfort myself by my what my Mother would always tell me when I was scared of the dark.

"Only in the darkness can you truly see the light, my dear."

My feet suddenly run out of steps to go down, breaking me free of my reverie. The chamber is still deathly cold and silent, and in the very centre of the room is a set of two octagonal shaped steps leading up to a small pedestal. Eight pillars surround the platform, each of them connected to create high arches around it.

I slowly edge my way towards the platform, slipping under the arches and holding the torch out in front of me. Making my way up the steps, the torch illuminates a small basin in the middle of the platform, pristine still water inside it—seemingly untouched by time and dust.

Giving into my curiosity, I dip my fingers into the cool water, trailing my fingers along the bottom of the basin in a vague attempt to find something in there; only to find nothing.

When I pull my hand back out, last few water droplets fall into the water and send ripples throughout the water—and without any warning whatsoever, I notice how the water begins to glow at the edges.

In my reflection, my eyes are gold.

I jump away with wide eyes, my gasp reflecting around the chamber as the water begins to rise and transform into a stream of golden light, choking on my shock as I stumble into one of the pillars.

As water splashes over the edge of the basin, I drop the torch and the chamber is transformed into a room of golden particles rising heavenward like smoke.

I try to run, but to no avail.

The golden light from the basin surges towards me and wraps itself around my body like vines, tightening when I struggle to break free. I tumble to my knees, the light tilting my head up as it plucks me from the ground and holds me a few metres above it; my eyes rolling up as my energy is sapped away.

"Join us, Sister…"

My world goes dark.

When I next swim into consciousness, I awake to silence. Blinking my eyes open, I lie in a land of whiteness, no horizon separating the earth and sky. Sitting upright, I search around for any signs of life—failing to find anything other than me. I wear the same clothes as I did before I blacked out, and I still feel Hylia's Circlet on my head, though I still have no inkling of where I am or why I'm here.

Standing, I take a step forwards—and only then does the world around me shift.

A green light erupts from underneath my foot and spreads out as far as the eye can see, greenery sprouting up to create a stunning meadow. The horizon is soon distinguishable, and the light soars into the sky to bring it to life, and I feel as if I'm back in the final Trial again.

Reaching down for the Master Sword, I find nothing but air.

A sudden gust of wind blows some wildflowers up from the earth and behind me, and following their path, I find a strange diamond shaped golden shield a few feet away. It floats above the basin that I saw beneath the Statue of the Goddess, yet it's covered in moss and vegetation here. The diamond is filled with a strange mist, though I can somewhat make out someone inside—their blonde hair and white garments floating around their face as if they were underwater.

And then I realise who they are.

It's me…

"Your time is coming to an end," a voice yearns out to me. "You have faced every challenge with a strong resolve. You have proved yourself worthy of the courage that I bear, dear Sister."

Searching around, I find no one nearby who could have spoken to me—their voice echoing around this ethereal place.

"Who are you?" I call out.

For a moment, there is no response. Then, without warning, three beings appear one at a time in a burst of light. The first is a creature that only Hylia recognises—a deer whose body is made up of translucent light, its antlers twisting around one another. The second is an owl, translucent blue feathers rustling in the breeze as it inspects me closely. The third is another that only Hylia recognises; a wolf made up of glimmering red light, strange red markings distinguishable from its fur.

"Your wisdom has warded away darkness from clouding your judgement," says the owl. "You have proved yourself worthy of the wisdom that I bear, dear Sister."

"You have shown your physical, mental, and spiritual strength throughout your journey," adds the wolf. "You have proved yourself worthy of the power that I bear, dear Sister."

I lower my head in confusion. "I must be dreaming… I can't lose my mind now."

They giggle, their laughter twinkling in my mind. "This is no dream," the owl assures. "Mortals are unable to comprehend our true appearances, and so they see us as mere essences of things that they understand."

And then I understand.

Falling to my knees, I cross my arms over my chest and breathe heavily upon realising where I am and who these beings are. Swallowing thickly, I force myself to speak.

"I have been honoured to be in your presence," I breathe, turning my gazes to the deer, owl and wolf respectively as I speak. "Farore, the Goddess of Courage—a creature of the nature that she created. Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom—a creature reflecting the wisdom that she bought onto this world. And Din, the Goddess of Power—a powerful creature like the old beings that people used to worship, like the Goddess Amaterasu."

"Rise, dear Sister," says Farore. "You are equal to us. We are pleased to see how far you have come."

I shake my head, though comply and stand. "As a mortal, I'm unworthy of standing before you here."

"You stand in the Sacred Realm where you once hid away the Triforce for safe keeping. We have protected it in your absence, so it is only right for us to have our confluence here," Din explains. "In this place, time is absent—it does not move."

I breathe a sigh of relief, glad that I won't lose any time and the others in the Sealed Ground won't have to fight for longer because of me.

"Your spirit is full of sadness," Nayru mourns. "We thought it best to support our Sister as best as we could. Perhaps to even explain why a Hero was needed in the first place."

I snap my head up, perplexed.

Din gestures with her head for me to take a seat on the grass, and after a pregnant silence she begins. "Once the Triforce was placed in the hands of mortals, it became only a matter of time before many sought after it in the name of evil. Foreseeing the Great War that would soon erupt, we decided to create a saviour that would intervene in our name."

"Wouldn't Hylia's powers have been enough?"

Nayru shakes her head. "Your powers were enough to seal away the Demon King, however the people of Hyrule needed a saviour in their own ranks to rally behind in order to deal with the Demon Army that came with Demise. Therefore, we created a Soul that would inhabit a mortal form before the Great War."

We all turn to Farore as she goes to speak, however she pauses for a long time before doing so. "I wished to create a being with our power but could inhabit the land as a mortal. However, I… I gave him too much power, and his being became dangerous—a Fierce Deity, I suppose. With the being unable to be subjugated, we sealed him away for all eternity."

I reach out to run my hands down the deer's side. "I understand…"

"Upon giving this Soul the powers of a mere mortal, it then became the Soul of the Hero that has been passed on from your Champion to the mortal fighting the Demon King in the present," Din finishes, and for a moment I realise how impersonally they refer to the first and newest Bearer.

It makes me sad to think about it.

"But now we have something to discuss with you," Farore says after a while. "You chose to reincarnate your Champion and yourself in order to end the Great War and eradicate the Demon King, correct?" I nod, to which she then warns, "However, shadow and light are two sides of the same coin; one cannot exist without the other. Even if the Demon King is destroyed, it does not mean that the shadows will not return in the future."

I tilt my head in confusion.

Nayru raises her head, and various silhouettes begin to flash before us in the skies above—a boy and a girl fighting the darkness over and over.

"You wished to meet your Champion again, although this time as a mere mortal," she explains. "However, if you wish to, you and your Champion can meet again when the incarnation of hatred and darkness returns—reincarnated to fight again, but together, just as you desired."

I blink rapidly. "I… I don't understand."

"I mean exactly what I say," Nayru presses. "After you and your Champion pass on from this mortal world, you shall never meet again. But, if you desire, those with the blood of the Goddess and the spirit of the Hero can meet again on the mortal plain to fight against the darkness when it returns—you can see your Champion again as a mortal if you choose to."

My lips part.

I instantly want to agree to her terms. As Hylia, it means that the world will be safe and she can be with her Champion throughout time. And, as Zelda, it means that I can be with Link and protect him if he's ever in danger again.

But it feels so wrong.

I forced Link to be reincarnated and to suffer at the hands of the Demon Army for my own uses—I used him for my own desires. And despite my love for him, would it be right to keep bringing him back just for my own benefit?

His spirit would never rest.

I can't do that to him…

I bite my lip—I may never see Link again, but I can't allow him to keep suffering eternally just for me.

But…

Meeting their expectant gazes, I finally speak. "The first and newest Bearer have fulfilled their destinies because I manipulated the Soul that they share," I confess. "My actions may have been well intentioned and true, but it doesn't mean that it's right… and it doesn't excuse my actions. But I'm prepared to pay the price for what I've done."

The Goddesses observe me silently.

"What do you mean, dear Sister?" Din asks.

"To ensure the safety of this land, I shall return to the people when they are in danger and fight beside them as a Goddess—I shall not stand with them as a mortal," I resolve firmly. "I will not stand for causing my people to suffer any longer!"

There's a brief moment of silence, and tears fill my eyes as I realise just exactly what I've done.

His spirit will rest, but mine won't… Goddesses…

The Goddesses exchange glances before Farore takes a step forward. "You have made us proud, Sister."

"W-What?"

Din stands beside Farore. "To prove yourself worthy of the Triforce, one final test was planned for you. And by risking yourself to protect the people that you have sworn to protect means that you have proven your worth."

"So," I say, then pause as I reel a little from the shock of another test. "I won't be reincarnated?"

"No," says Farore. "Once your mortal body dies, Hylia shall return and Zelda shall rest peacefully with her Link."

I can't help but smile as tears begin to fall.

Zelda will be safe…

"Now, when there is a meeting, a parting is soon to follow," Nayru says, the three of them beginning to shine with golden particles. "The Triforce awaits…"

I gasp. The Triforce…

"The one who heals the broken hearted," they say as one, my vision going white. "The one who will save this torrent of doom and destruction and draw it into a world of light. The prophecies were right about you, Zelda—they always have been. The Ultimate Power waits for you. You only have one wish; make it count, dear Sister."

Once my vision clears, I stand on the hands of the Statue of the Goddess—the Bird Statuette seemingly removed by someone on the island for preservation. Taking a step back, I turn my head towards the face of the statue with a firm resolve as golden lights twirl around my form and solidifies one pace in front of me.

Even since the day that I was born, I was destined to be right here at this very moment. After all the blood that has been shed and the battles that have been fought, the Triforce was meant to be here right in this very moment. As the Golden Power appears in a burst of light, three triangles shining in the morning sunlight, the end of the road finally becomes a reality.

I can't help but cry at the sight of the Triforce, wishing that I could tell Link that he wouldn't have to fight for much longer.

The three separate triangles join to become one in a final flash of light, the Triforce of Power, Courage, and Wisdom positively glowing.

I swallow thickly.

I have one wish, and I have no time to delay.

The Triforce calls for me to make a wish upon it, waiting for me to change the world with a single touch. Twinkling voices whisper out into my mind, yearning for me to speak.

Reaching out, my fingers brush over each of the triangles. I imagine Demise down on the Surface and what he could have done if he made a wish upon the Triforce—the damage he could cause with a few words.

I can't let that happen.

The Triforce glows in satisfaction, and then a tiny voice whispers out to me.

'What is thy wish?'

Author's Note: Well I did a lot of editing to this chapter, and now it's a lot shorter than what it was before, so please let me know what you thought of it with a rate and review please! And I hope you enjoy the remaining chapters!

~RandomButLoved~